


Folding Paper and Falling Hearts

by koenigs_bambina



Series: Cullen Is A Big Dork and So Is The Inquisitor [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 13:22:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6330892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koenigs_bambina/pseuds/koenigs_bambina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen attempts to get some work done as The Inquisitor occupies not only his office, but his mind as well. Fortunately, Lorelei knows exactly how to make it up to him- by being cute and offering him useless gifts.</p><p>" 'What are you doing now?' Cullen asked finally, nearly an hour after she had found what she was looking for. She was seated on the ground with her back to him, and though there was no cause for it, it had worried the brave Commander."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Folding Paper and Falling Hearts

Cullen was seated behind his desk, quietly attempting, and failing, to pour over the newest reports from his recruits in the Hinterlands. He knew that they required his utmost attention, and yet they were rapidly losing the battle to the strange elven woman who was, at that moment, flitting around his office in search for an unused piece of parchment.

He swore that though she was a rogue, ducking and rolling with a hail of arrows when she fought, somewhere in her lineage must lie a mage, with the considerable magic she placed into everything she did. He was falling quickly under her spell, and he had no intention of turning back.

The Commander shook his head, laughing quietly at how this situation came about- how he seemed to always find himself distracted from his work, as of late. Distracted from the Inquisition, by the Inquisitor herself. 

Approximately a week following their game of chess, and their agreement to spend more time together, Lorelei began making appearances in his tower. It started out with them finding new ways to compete with each other- chess, cards- simple excuses to be around each other. It then developed into the Inquisitor finding dangerous ways to explore Skyhold. 

“You can’t actually be serious,” Cullen gaped incredulously one night, as Lorelei balanced on the wall outside of his door, wobbling in a way that made the Commander grimace with fear.

“Come on, Cullen! It’ll be fun!” She grinned, holding a hand out to him, large eyes shining wickedly in the moonlight. He held her gaze and sighed deeply, wanting nothing more than to give in to her natural excitement and charm. She had a sort of hold on his behavior, her willingness to adventure and play rather contagious. However, his natural tendency to rules and safety kept him tethered to the solid ground beside her.

His arm lifted, left hand subconsciously finding the back of his neck, attempting to massage out some of the built tension, “M- my armor is too heavy- I can’t possibly bound around Skyhold’s walls in this, I would fall and you would be left short a Commander” he offered weakly, shrugging. He hoped the logic of it would find some ground in her mind.

She simply rolled her eyes and kneeled towards him, teetering enough that his arm instinctively reach out to steady her. By the Maker she was reckless, and that worried him beyond how it should.

“Cullen,” she said softly, the challenge fading from her eyes as she placed her hand on his cheek, “if you really don’t want to do this, then we don’t have to. I’m perfectly fine spending time with you in ways that do not worry you so much.”

He shut his eyes and inhaled slowly, both considering her words and reveling in the feel of her skin on his. He was going to regret this. 

As he exhaled and began to shake his head, her expression shifted to confusion. He chuckled softly and fixed her with an amused look, “Give me a moment to change into something a bit more suitable for- well, for whatever it is you wish to do.”

Lorelei immediately lit up, nodding vigorously and leaping to her feet, earning one more moment of worried hesitation from her doting Commander before he went to prepare for a night of risks and wonder, all because of her.

A month had passed since that night, and though she still challenged him and thrust spontaneous adventures into his life most every night, the increased time they spent in each others’ company, lent to Lorelei’s conceit to activities that did not bring out worry lines in the forehead of her company. 

Their visits became a near nightly occurrence when they found stolen moments to breathe, and more often than not, they simply sat in each others’ company, comforted by the proximity.

“What are you doing now?” Cullen asked finally, nearly an hour after she had found what she was looking for. She was seated on the ground with her back to him, and though there was no cause for it, it had worried the brave Commander.

“One moment!” She exclaimed, the sound of rustling parchment increasing as she began to work faster on whatever she held in her hands, “Okay!” Come here and close your eyes!”

He did as she asked, walking slowly over to her place in front of the fire slowly and suspiciously, squeezing his eyes shut as best as he could, though curiosity made it difficult to remain as such.

Lorelei stood before him, amused and slightly enamored with his expression. His brow furrowed and head tilted to the side, as though if he concentrated hard enough, he could predict what she was about to do.

Deciding that it would be much more amusing to let him sweat it out for a bit, Lorelei waited, watching as he began to relax in front of her. 

The firelight danced on his golden hair and sharpened the angles of his face, which was now cleared from stress and confusion. Standing there in front of her, he looked almost at ease- a ghost of a smile playing on the corners of his lips, his stance less towering and rigid. Lorelei figured their time spent together was beneficial- for the both of them. She enjoyed how comforting it was to be around him, how solid and caring he was, how easy he made it for her to smile despite all that hung on her shoulders. She only wished that she had more time with him- more of his company- more of, well- him.

Cullen cleared his throat and fidgeted slightly, pulling her from her trance and back into the moment. Shaking her head softly she reached out and cupped the back of his hand, raising it to waist level, before delicately placing something into it.

“Okay,” she whispered, blushing and suddenly embarrassed, “you can look now.”

Cullen opened his eyes and immediately locked with her gaze. She stared up at him with an expression in her hazel eyes that he could not name. For a moment he had forgotten what they were doing, or how to breathe. It was only the shy squeeze of his hand that he recalled the surprise that brought him to that spot. When he finally tore his gaze from hers, he discovered an ornately folded bird, in the palm of his left hand.

“Dorian taught me how to make it,” she began after a sizable moment of silence had passed “It’s something he picked up while studying the books in Tevinter.” Still, he said nothing, simply staring down into his palm. “I-I know it’s silly, and took me quite awhile to make it- but I’m new at this, and I wanted to make you something to thank you for all the stress I put you through, with the climbing and running and jumping, and-“

“I like it,” he interrupted her, grinning wide. “I’m impressed, really. I could never make something so delicate, or beautiful.” 

She turned her head away shyly, and he reached out with his free hand to carefully coax it back to him “ I’m glad that you’re doing something other than scaling walls and closing rifts- and I’m glad that you’re doing it here... with me.”

Her embarrassment turned to pride, though her face reddened further at his confession.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” She replied, shifting her grip to intertwine her fingers with the hand that she still held.

He smiled down at her, brushing the side of her face, tucking a lock of hair behind a pointed ear. She looked so beautiful- the firelight made her seem more mythical, her auburn hair seeming to dance in the sway of it, her golden green eyes alight with wonder.

Cullen’s expression was soft, yet full of intent- eyelids growing heavy and his lips parting to match hers as she began to extend onto her toes.

And as he leaned into her, lips a mere inch away from each other, the tension growing near tangible in the moment- a loud and insistent knock sounded at his chamber door. 

“Commander?” a voice inquired from outside.

With an audible sigh and a scowl that could only be described as vicious, Cullen pulled back. “What!?” He nearly shouted, his right hand still at the side of Lorelei’s neck, though he had straightened up to his full, military height, annoyed at the interruption.

The door burst open, causing Cullen to practically leap away from the Inquisitor, one of his dutiful soldiers marching into the room. 

“Lady Cassandra asked me to see if you had finished going over the new routes for the recruits,” he said, confidence and authority fading quickly as he took in the Inquisitor who was now standing awkwardly by the fire, and his Commander’s flushed, angry expression. “She said it was urgent…” Cullen’s jaw clenched as he glowered at the seemingly shrinking man “I- I’ll come back later,” he stammered, turning on his heel and exiting as quickly as he could, before Cullen had the opportunity to toss him over the battlements.

“Perhaps I should let you get back to work,” Lorelei sighed, moving towards the door. She gave him a disappointed frown, shaking her head, “Cassandra would kill you if she found out you had been goofing around with me instead of completing your duties.”

He nodded unwillingly, his demeanor visibly deflating, though he knew that she was right.

“I shall see you at the war council tomorrow morning- and here again, tomorrow night? That is… if you’ll have me?” She added, hoping to salvage a small bit of his mood.

“Of course,” he smiled softly at her, “You are always welcome here.”

“Thank you, Cullen.” 

Lorelei walked over to kiss him gently on the cheek and give an all too brief embrace before quickly exiting the chamber, attempting to steel her nerves before temptation got the best of them.

For a long while after that, Cullen stood behind his desk, staring at the small crane still in his left hand. He was unaware of the blush playing across his cheeks as he set it down in front of him. He sighed deeply and returned to the work that would never fully capture his attention- thoughts of Lorelei dancing across his mind for the remainder of the night.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to thank Kat for being my editor and you for reading this garbage.  
> This is my first post, so please let me know if you have any pointers or if you want me to write anything in the future.
> 
> Also, my Tumblr is: koenigs-bambina
> 
> Follow me if you like!
> 
> Thank you!


End file.
